A timber frame sets the rhythm from the first view. Four wooden trusses give the house its clear structure, while the long outline keeps the volume calm along the water. Full-height openings cut through the envelope and pull the eye straight to the shoreline. The result is a waterfront barn house that uses simple parts well: wood, brick, glass and a roofline that angles down over the plan.

Four trusses, one clear structure

The house reads as a sequence of spans rather than a single closed shell. Those four wooden trusses are visible in the way the building is put together, and they explain the strong internal order as much as the exterior profile. Brickwork forms one layer of the envelope, then the wood slat facade adds a finer texture beside it. The contrast is restrained: dark openings, pale timber, and masonry that grounds the longer elevations.

That wood slat facade is not treated as a decorative skin. Its narrow boards give the walls a measured line and make the high openings feel even taller. Windows and doors rise from floor to ceiling, so the frame of the timber construction stays legible around them. In the photographs, the slats, black window frames and angled roof plane create a strong reading of depth, especially where the facade turns toward the water and the terrace.

Covered edges on both sides of the house

Roof extensions at the front and rear extend the house beyond the enclosed rooms. On the street side, the covered zone works as a carport. At the water side, it becomes a covered terrace set directly beside the edge of the plot. That shift from parking to outdoor living is handled with the same structural language, so the overhangs feel part of the house rather than attached later.

The rear terrace is the more open of the two. Timber posts and a slim roof edge frame the view toward the water, while the paved surface below keeps the zone practical and readable in the images. From inside, the terrace becomes an outward continuation of the plan. From outside, it softens the transition between the house and the waterfront, keeping the connection open without losing shelter.

An open plan living room with a void in the middle

Inside, the ground floor opens up around the water view. The living area is arranged as open plan living, with broad sightlines across the room and through the large glazed openings. The central void changes the scale immediately. Instead of a low, enclosed ceiling, the room rises through two levels and lets light drop deeper into the plan. That double-height living room is the spatial core of the project.

The photographs make that height feel practical rather than theatrical. A staircase with a black balustrade climbs beside the void, and the dark line of the rail keeps the volume sharp against the lighter walls and timber floor. Nearby, a long media unit and the sofa sit low under the higher space. The room is not divided by ornament; it is defined by the frame of the structure, the opening above, and the view that pulls through to the water.

Light, sightlines and a grounded interior

What stands out indoors is how little gets in the way of the long view. The full-height openings bring daylight across the floor, while blinds and curtains temper the brightness in a few frames. Wooden floorboards run through the living area and keep the floor plane visually calm. The combination of open plan living and the central void gives the room a clear direction, from the more enclosed side of the plan to the glazed edge at the water.

The upper level remains present in the room below. The void is not only a vertical gesture; it lets the timber structure and floor edge read together. From the lower level, the eye moves up to the landing and across the staircase, then back out to the water through the large glass. That movement is one of the strongest features of the house: the plan stays open, but the structure still gives every zone a defined edge.

Living on the ground floor without reducing the plan

A ground-floor bedroom sits next to its own bathroom and walk-in closet, making the house usable on one level without isolating that suite from the rest of the plan. The arrangement is practical, but it also supports the spatial order of the ground floor. The private room stays close to the living area, while the open plan living zone keeps its long line toward the water. In this way, the main floor works for daily use and future access alike.

Upstairs, three bedrooms and another bathroom complete the house. The upper level extends the program without changing the clear hierarchy below. In the exterior images, the roof plane and the front and rear overhangs still dominate the silhouette; inside, the double-height living room keeps the middle of the plan open. The project therefore balances enclosed rooms with a generous central void, rather than packing the house into separate volumes.

Materials kept in direct conversation

Brick, wood and glass are the three materials that do most of the work here. Brick gives the lower parts weight. The wood slat facade lightens the outer skin and picks up the rhythm of the timber trusses. Glass opens the walls toward the water and makes the covered terrace legible from inside. Even the black balustrade and dark frames are part of the same reading; they sharpen the edges so the timber and masonry remain easy to read.

The waterfront barn house never leans on one gesture alone. Its strength lies in the way the trusses, slatted timber, full-height openings and sheltered edges all describe the same idea from different sides. Outside, the house sits with a long profile at the water. Inside, the double-height living room and open plan living keep that relation visible throughout the day. The result is a measured house with a clear structure and a direct link to the water beside it.

For related work, see the Bongers Architects profile, browse more barn house projects, explore other timber facade projects, and view houses with a double-height space or more residential architecture.